Yochanan 14

1 4 Let not your levavot be troubled [14:27]. You have emunah (faith) in Hashem. Also in me have emunah (faith). [SHEMOT 14:21; TEHILLIM 4:5]

2 In the Beis Avi there are many me’onot (dwelling places, permanent residences, homes, cf 14:23); if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a makom (place) for you?

3 And if I go and prepare a makom for you, I am coming again and will receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

4 And where I go you have da’as of HaDerech. [TEHILLIM 1:6]

5 T’oma says to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Adoni, we do not have da’as of where you are going; how are we able to have da’as of HaDerech?

6 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to him, I am HaDerech, HaEmes, and HaChayyim. No one comes to HaAv except through me [1Sm 3:7].

7 If you have had da’as of me, also you will have had da’as of Avi. And from now on, you have had da’as of Him and have seen Him.

8 Philippos says to him, Adoni, show us [Elohim] HaAv and it is enough for us.

9 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to Philippos, So long a time with you I am and you have not had da’as of me, Philippos? The one having seen me has seen [Elohim] HaAv [Col. 1:15; YESHAYAH 9:5(6); Prov 30:4] How do you say, Show us HaAv?

10 Do you not have emunah (faith) that Ani Hu in HaAv and HaAv is in me? The dvarim which I speak to you I do not speak on my own, but HaAv dwelling in me does His pe’ulot.

11 In me have emunah, that Ani Hu in HaAv and HaAv is in me; but if not, have emunah because of the pe’ulot themselves.

12 Omein, omein, I say to you, the one believing in me the pe’ulot which I do he will do, and gedolot than these will he do, because I am going to HaAv.

13 And whatever you ask b’Shem of me I will do, that HaAv may receive kavod in HaBen.

14 If anything you ask me b’Shem of me, I will do it.

15 If you have ahavah for me, you will be shomer mitzvot regarding my commandments. [Ps 103:18]

16 And I will ask HaAv and another Melitz Yosher [Advocate, Counselor, Helper in Court, 14:26; 15:26; 16:7] He will give you that He may be with you l’Olam,

17 The Ruach HaEmes, which the Olam Hazeh is not able to receive, because it does not see Him nor have da’as of Him. But you have da’as of Him, because He remains with you and He will be in you.

18 I will not leave you yetomim (orphans). I am coming to you. [MELACHIM ALEF 6:13]

19 Yet a little time and the Olam Hazeh no longer sees me, but you see me. Because Ani Chai, so you will live also.

20 On Yom Hahu (that day) you will have da’as that I am in HaAv of me and you are in me and I am in you.

21 The one having the mitzvot of me and being shomer mitzvot, that one is the one having ahavah for me. And the one having ahavah for me will receive ahavah from HaAv of me, and I will have ahavah for him and I will manifest myself to him.

22 Yehuda (not the one from K’riot) says to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Adoni, and what has transpired that to us you are about to manifest yourself and not to the Olam Hazeh?

23 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to him, If anyone has ahavah for me, of my dvar he will be shomer and HaAv of me will have ahavah for him and to him we will come and with him we will make a ma’on [see 14:2, me’onot, pl.] [MISHLE 8:17; YECHEZKEL 37:27].

24 The one not having ahavah (agape) for me is not shomer regarding the dvarim of me, and the dvar which you hear is not mine but that of HaAv Who sent me. [DEVARIM 18:18]

25 These things I have told you while abiding with you.

26 But the Melitz Yosher (Praklit, Advocate, Counselor, Helper in Court), the Ruach Hakodesh which HaAv will send b’Shem of me, He will teach you all things and will remind you of all things which I told you.

27 Shalom Hashem I leave with you, my Shalom I give to you, [BAMIDBAR 6:26; TEHILLIM 85:8; MALACHI 2:6] not as the Olam Hazeh gives, I give to you; let not your levavot be troubled [14:1], nor let them be ones of morech lev (cowardliness, Rv 21:8). [CHAGGAI 2:9 TARGUM HASHIVIM]

28 You heard me say to you, I am going [14:12], and I am coming to you [14:18]. If you were having ahavah for me, you would have simcha, because I go to HaAv, for HaAv is greater than me [Yn 1:1, 14].

29 And now I have told you before it happens, that when it happens, you may have emunah (faith).

30 No longer many things I will speak with you, for the Sar HaOlam Hazeh is coming; and in me he has nothing.

31 But in order that HaOlam may have da’as that I have ahavah for HaAv, as HaAv gave me mitzvah, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

Yochanan 14 Commentary

Chapter 14

Christ comforts his disciples. (1-11) He further comforts his disciples. (12-17) He still further comforts his disciples. (18-31)

Verses 1-11 Here are three words, upon any of which stress may be laid. Upon the word troubled. Be not cast down and disquieted. The word heart. Let your heart be kept with full trust in God. The word your. However others are overwhelmed with the sorrows of this present time, be not you so. Christ's disciples, more than others, should keep their minds quiet, when everything else is unquiet. Here is the remedy against this trouble of mind, "Believe." By believing in Christ as the Mediator between God and man, we gain comfort. The happiness of heaven is spoken of as in a father's house. There are many mansions, for there are many sons to be brought to glory. Mansions are lasting dwellings. Christ will be the Finisher of that of which he is the Author or Beginner; if he have prepared the place for us, he will prepare us for it. Christ is the sinner's Way to the Father and to heaven, in his person as God manifest in the flesh, in his atoning sacrifice, and as our Advocate. He is the Truth, as fulfilling all the prophecies of a Saviour; believing which, sinners come by him the Way. He is the Life, by whose life-giving Spirit the dead in sin are quickened. Nor can any man draw nigh God as a Father, who is not quickened by Him as the Life, and taught by Him as the Truth, to come by Him as the Way. By Christ, as the Way, our prayers go to God, and his blessings come to us; this is the Way that leads to rest, the good old Way. He is the Resurrection and the Life. All that saw Christ by faith, saw the Father in Him. In the light of Christ's doctrine, they saw God as the Father of lights; and in Christ's miracles, they saw God as the God of power. The holiness of God shone in the spotless purity of Christ's life. We are to believe the revelation of God to man in Christ; for the works of the Redeemer show forth his own glory, and God in him.

Verses 12-17 Whatever we ask in Christ's name, that shall be for our good, and suitable to our state, he shall give it to us. To ask in Christ's name, is to plead his merit and intercession, and to depend upon that plea. The gift of the Spirit is a fruit of Christ's mediation, bought by his merit, and received by his intercession. The word used here, signifies an advocate, counsellor, monitor, and comforter. He would abide with the disciples to the end of time; his gifts and graces would encourage their hearts. The expressions used here and elsewhere, plainly denote a person, and the office itself includes all the Divine perfections. The gift of the Holy Ghost is bestowed upon the disciples of Christ, and not on the world. This is the favour God bears to his chosen. As the source of holiness and happiness, the Holy Spirit will abide with every believer for ever.

Verses 18-24 Christ promises that he would continue his care of his disciples. I will not leave you orphans, or fatherless, for though I leave you, yet I leave you this comfort, I will come to you. I will come speedily to you at my resurrection. I will come daily to you in my Spirit; in the tokens of his love, and visits of his grace. I will come certainly at the end of time. Those only that see Christ with an eye of faith, shall see him for ever: the world sees him no more till his second coming; but his disciples have communion with him in his absence. These mysteries will be fully known in heaven. It is a further act of grace, that they should know it, and have the comfort of it. Having Christ's commands, we must keep them. And having them in our heads, we must keep them in our hearts and lives. The surest evidence of our love to Christ is, obedience to the laws of Christ. There are spiritual tokens of Christ and his love given to all believers. Where sincere love to Christ is in the heart, there will be obedience. Love will be a commanding, constraining principle; and where love is, duty follows from a principle of gratitude. God will not only love obedient believers, but he will take pleasure in loving them, will rest in love to them. He will be with them as his home. These privileges are confined to those whose faith worketh by love, and whose love to Jesus leads them to keep his commandments. Such are partakers of the Holy Spirit's new-creating grace.

Verses 25-27 Would we know these things for our good, we must pray for, and depend on the teaching of the Holy Ghost; thus the words of Jesus will be brought to our remembrance, and many difficulties be cleared up which are not plain to others. To all the saints, the Spirit of grace is given to be a remembrancer, and to him, by faith and prayer, we should commit the keeping of what we hear and know. Peace is put for all good, and Christ has left us all that is really and truly good, all the promised good; peace of mind from our justification before God. This Christ calls his peace, for he is himself our Peace. The peace of God widely differs from that of Pharisees or hypocrites, as is shown by its humbling and holy effects.

Verses 28-31 Christ raises the expectations of his disciples to something beyond what they thought was their greatest happiness. His time was now short, he therefore spake largely to them. When we come to be sick, and to die, we may not be capable of talking much to those about us; such good counsel as we have to give, let us give while in health. Observe the prospect Christ had of an approaching conflict, not only with men, but with the powers of darkness. Satan has something in us to perplex us with, for we have all sinned; but when he would disturb Christ, he found nothing sinful to help him. The best evidence of our love to the Father is, our doing as he has commanded us. Let us rejoice in the Saviour's victories over Satan the prince of this world. Let us copy the example of his love and obedience.